Tank



May 2, 1933- J G. MOXEY 1,906,996

TANK

Filed April ll, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheef) l I N V EN TOR: Jizn dmxey,

May 2, 1933. I MOXEY 1,906,996

TANK

Filed April 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EE #5 S a N g N WITNESSES QINVENTOR:

f I I QJHZJ; (jimmy,

1 BY fik/ l Patented May 2, 1933 JOHN G. MOXEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA TANK Application filed April 11, 1931.

This invention relates to tanks; and it has more particular reference to multi-compartment or sectional tanks designed for vehicles used in transporting highly volatile liquids such as gasoline and the like.

Thepractice heretofore has been to separately fill the several compartments of the tanks of the kind referred tofrom the top, either through individual openings or inlets provided for that purpose. This procedure was uneconomic in that it entailed considerable losses due to spillage and evaporation incident to repeated connection and disconnection of the supply hose, the losses ordinarily averaging about one-half of one per centof the total tank capacity. In addition, considerable time was expended in attaching and detaching the supply hose.

I My invention has for its aim to overcome the drawbacks to which attention has been directed through simple provisions, whereby, with the aid of the usual valve equipmentembodied in standard liquid fuel delivery vehicle tanks, the tank compartments may be either singly or simultaneously filled without attendant splashing or turbulence, and Without requiring repeated connection and disconnection of the filling hose and causation'of losses by spillage and excessive evaporation.

. 'How the foregoing desiderata may be readily realized in practice will be manifest from the detailed description following in connection with the attached drawings, wherein 35 Fig. I is an illustration, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, of a standard form of liquid fuel delivery vehicle tank conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a fragmentary plan view of the tank illustrated in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a tank showing a slight modification of my invention.

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. I of a different type of standard liquid fuel delivery vehicle tank incorporating my invention; and,

Fig. V is a bottom plan view of the tank shown in Fig. IV.

Serial No. 529,320.

With more detailed reference first to Figs. I and II of these illustrations, the tank there depicted consists of three separate compartments 10 which are butted end to end in serial relation and rest on cross members 11 of a supporting structure generally designated by the numeral 12. Common to the several compartments 10 of the tank is a drain trough 13 which extends longitudinally of the bottom of the tank, and at its rear end connects with a cross pipe 14., the latter being fitted at opposite ends with hand valves 15 and 16. By selection between the valves 15 and 16, the discharge from the tank may be directed to either side of the vehicle in a manner Well known to those familiar with the art. Communication between the drain trough 13 and the tank compartments 10 is had by way of ports 17 in the bottoms of said compartments, the fiow through the ports 17 being individually controllable by means of valves 18. These valves 18 are separately coordinated by coupling links 19 with actuating handles 20 at the top of the tank. The usual manhole domes for the several compartments 10 are indicated at 21, and their hinged covers at 22.

The provisions whereby I am enabled to attain the advantages hereinbeforc pointed out include a filling tube 25, which, in the present instance, extends from a point of connection with the drain trough 13 at the bot tom of the tank, up through one of the endmost compartments 10 to a point above the top of the tank for connection of the supply hose shown at 26. For convenience of ready attachment and detachment of the supply hose 26, I preferably fit the filling tube 25 at its top or mouth end with a quick coupling indicated at 27 which may be of the Wheaton or any other commercial or well known type.

With the described arrangement, the fluid introduced through the filling tube 25, first enters the drain trough 13 and from thence flows into the compartments 10 by Way of the bottom ports 17. Obviously the filling of any one of the compartments may be determined to the exclusion of the others, by opening its valve 18 while the valves of the others are kept closed; or the compartments may all be filled simultaneously by opening all the valves. In any event, the level of the liquid will rise gradually in the tank coinpartments without attendant splashing or turbulence, so that evaporation losses resultant upon displacement of the air from within the tank and its relief through the vents in the covers 22 of the domes 21 are reduced to a minimum. It will be furthermore evident that my invention makes possible'the saving of the liquid spilled and evaporated as ordinarily incident to connection of the filling hose 26 with each tank section 10. If desired or found convenient, the filling tube may of course be allocated exteriorly of the tank instead of being passed through it as herein shown; or it may be extended through the supplemental compartment usually provided at the rear of the tank vehicle to accommodate the measuring vessels and other equipment necessary to the dis pensing of the fluid commodity. v

Fig. III shows a modification of my invention wherein the filling tube 25a is passed axially down through one of the man-hole domes 21a of the tank, it being held properly centered in the dome by means of a spider 28 overlaid with a fire screen 29. The evel of the mouth of the filling tube 25a is in this case such that it is normally protected by closure of the dome cover 22a. The tank delineated in Figs. 1V and V is of the type in which individual drain pipes 30 lead from the bottom ports 17b of the tank compartments 10?) to a common cross manifold 31 at the rear of the vehicle, and in which said compartments may be separately emptied by proper selection as between a corresponding number of hand valves 32 interposed in the manifold 31. In this case, the filling tube 256 is passed down through one of the endmost compartments 10b of the tank and connected by a rearward branch 33 centrally into the manifold 31 with interposition of a separate hand valve 3 All the compartments 10 of the tank of Figs. IV and V may be filled simultaneously by open ing the valves 32 in the manifold 31 as well as the valves 18?) associated with the ports 17?), the discharge valves 15?) and 16b at the ends of the manifold 31 being of course kept closed at this time. Individual filling of the tank compartments 106 on the other hand, may obviously be accomplished by selection as between the valves 18?) and 32.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a tank embodying a series of separate compartments, of an underlying drain means including an outlet common to all of the compartments, separate valve means to individually control flow between the compartments and the drain means,

and a vertical filling tube, with its mouth accessible above the tank for connection of a supply hose, extending down to the drain means aforesaid.

2. The combination with a tank embodying a series of separate compartments, of an underlying drain trough common to the several compartments, said trough connecting into an outlet with means controlling discharge to either side of the tank, separate valve means to individually control flow between the tank compartments and the trough, and a vertical filling tube extending down from a point above the tank and connecting into the trough aforesaid, the mouth of said tube above the tank being fitted with a coupling enabling quick connection of a supply hose.

3. The combination with a tank embodying a series of separate compartments with individual man-hole domes, of an underlying drain trough common to all the compartments, separate valve means to control communication between the compartments and the trough, said trough connecting intoan outlet having valves controlling discharge to eitherside of the tank, and a vertical filling tube extending axially down through the dome of one or the compartments and connectin at the bottom into the trough aforesaid.

a. The combination with a tank embodying a series of separate compartments, of a mani fold common to drain pipes leading individually from the bottoms of the several tank compartments, individual valve means to control fiow between the compartments and their respective drain pipes, and a vertical filling tube with its mouth accessible at a level above the tank for connection of a supply hose, said filling tube connecting at its bottom into the manifold aforesaid.

5. The combination with a tank embodying a series of separate compartments, of a inanifold common to drain pipes leading individually from the several tank compartments, valve means to control fiow between the tank compartments and their respective drain pipes, separate hand valves interposed be tween the said drain pipes and the manifold, and a vertical filling tube with its mouth accessible at a level above the tank to enable connection of a supply hose, said filling tube connecting at its bottom into the manifold aforesaid with interposition of a separate hand control valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 9th day of April, 1931.

JOHN G. MOXEY. 

